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Monitor Progress

Service-learning experiences involve many factors, some which are beyond your control. It’s wise to deliberately check in with both students and community partners… at least every few weeks.

Tips:

  1. Provide a timeline.  Students need benchmarks for contacting the community partner, and beginning and completing the service.
  2. Have a back-up plan for students who miss orientations, start dates, and other deadlines. Some faculty state that students who miss key deadlines must write a paper. Sometimes the time delays are due to community partners’ constraints; these can be teachable moments about how to flex and redirect to what’s possible. SL staff can help faculty work through these challenges.
  3. Contact the community partner(s) at least once mid-semester to exchange feedback and, if possible, visit the service site(s) to gain first-hand exposure to the experience.
  4. Assess student progress using a “five-minute check-in” or some other formative assessment.
    Recommended timeframe: Weeks six, nine, and eleven.
    See Suggested questions for a five-minute check-in.